tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post2405562824554751113..comments2015-03-03T07:52:15.306-08:00Comments on Haq's Musings: Higher Education: Pakistani Students AbroadRiaz Haqhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522781692886598586noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-50773337650611613472015-02-03T10:47:18.829-08:002015-02-03T10:47:18.829-08:00Some international students have the right to work...Some international students have the right to work here after graduation for two or more years.<br /><br />“There is a ticking time bomb on post-study work rights visas, which are being seen as the route to a fast track to migration,” Mr Honeywood said. “Numbers out of India have doubled in the past 12 months. They are not rorting the system, but have the perception post-study work rights will lead to permanent residency, and that is totally wrong.”<br /><br />China remains by far the biggest source of overseas students, with 153,000 in 2014 — almost one-third of all international students. Government data shows several countries in addition to India have seen big spikes in enrolments. They include Nepal, up 27 per cent on 2013, Pakistan, up 16 per cent, Hong Kong, up 22 per cent, The Philippines, up 21 per cent and Taiwan, up 24 per cent. Mr Honeywood said Australia was still in need of an overarching strategy and independent advisory council, much like Tourism Australia, as recommended in a 2012 review by Michael Chaney.<br /><br />While the government said last year it had accepted all 35 recommendations of the review, no official response has been released and only seven recommendations have been implemented.<br /><br />Mr Honeywood said there was little or no co-ordination between the various ministries with responsibility for the sector: education, trade, foreign affairs and immigration. “We have this constant issue of federal government departments in splendid isolation making decisions that impact the sector without adequate consultation,” he said.<br /><br />A spokesman for Education Minister Christopher Pyne said a draft national strategy was due for release this year. “The government is also planning a number of ministerial roundtables,” he said.<br /><br /><br />http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/foreign-students-bring-in-16bn-to-australia/story-e6frg6n6-1227207034946Riaz Haqhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522781692886598586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-34649500342635259382015-02-01T22:00:32.721-08:002015-02-01T22:00:32.721-08:00KARACHI: As many as 14 universities from Australia...KARACHI: As many as 14 universities from Australia opened their doors for Pakistani students for Bachelors, Masters and Doctor of Philosophy programmes at the Pakistan-Australian Education Expo 2015 on Saturday.<br />Every year more than 400 students fly to Australia from Pakistan through Australian Education Office (AEO) Pakistan for higher education. “Today we are expecting more than 250 students to avail the walk-in opportunity to fulfil their dreams of studying abroad,” said AEO Pakistan chief executive officer and resident director Saad Mehmood.<br />The expo was arranged to guide students and motivate them to go abroad for higher studies. “We are here to help students in every way from the procedure of visa application to courses and accommodation details,” said Mehmood.<br />According to him, the percentage of students applying every year has increased during the last couple of years but only 20 per cent of females opt for studying for their Masters abroad. “We hope to see the number of female students rise as they are more competent, intelligent and promising,” he said.<br />The expo was open for everyone. Applicants were required to fill the ‘student assessment form’ at the entrance, providing their basic educational and personal details. The form helps the volunteers guide students about the desk he should move to in order to meet consultants for guidance or any other assistance. If the desk finds the applicant eligible and compassionate, they will provide her/him with two other forms to fill. One of these is a curriculum vitae and the other is a list of documents required for further processing of the application.<br />Muneeb Ahmed Warsi, a 23-year-old NED University graduate, came to the expo with the dream of studying in Australia or Germany. “AEO Pakistan is doing a great job as they are giving us so many options under one roof,” said Warsi, who is looking for a university that offers a Master’s degree in telecommunication engineering.<br />Shahzeb Anwar, another NED student, said he wished to see more education expo shows in Pakistan from different countries. “A majority of my seniors went abroad for their Master’s and returned to serve Pakistan,” said the 22-year-old telecommunication engineer. “I also want to come back and earn a good living.”<br />Dr Chris Daly of the University of New South Wales (UNSW) shared his experience with The Express Tribune of working with international students. “I am working with international students since 1995 and have seen the numbers of students increasing tremendously every year,” he said. “Twenty-five per cent of the total enrolment in UNSW is that of international students.”<br />Latrobe University marketing and admissions director Neil Fitzroy was of the view that Pakistani students are strong and capable. “This is why we are interested in getting a larger number of them at our campus,” he said, adding that he has been working with Pakistani students for more than ten years. Counting on his experience, he appreciated that how, despite cultural and religious differences, Pakistan has always given them the best students.<br /><br />http://tribune.com.pk/story/831285/choose-the-best-pakistan-australian-education-expo-2015-offers-many-options-under-one-roof/Riaz Haqhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522781692886598586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-579171329538734082014-08-10T19:59:39.792-07:002014-08-10T19:59:39.792-07:00Around 10,000 Pakistani students will be awarded s...Around 10,000 Pakistani students will be awarded scholarships to study in different universities of Europe in the year 2015 by the European Union Education Foundation (EUEF). The first entries to the programme will be from Sindh, The Express Tribune has learnt.<br />“We are waiting for the final proposal from the provincial [Sindh] government,” revealed the EUEF director of scholarships programme, Yvonne Hunter. “The government is interested [this time] and I hope the plan will materialise soon.”<br />During her visit to Karachi last week, Hunter explained that the EUEF was established to promote higher education in developing countries. “Our aim is help in community development through self-sufficiency in the education sector by providing students from developing countries easy access to higher studies in Europe.”<br />The scholarship programme is not new to Pakistan. According to Azfar Bukhari who is the project manager and media co-ordinator for EUEF, they had tried to launch the programme two years ago but had been unsuccessful. “This time, however, the government is more interested,” said Bukhari hopefully.<br />Speaking to The Express Tribune, Hunter said that her team has been assured of full cooperation by the Sindh government to make the programme a success. “Apart from the Sindh government, the government of Balochistan as well as the federal government are keen to participate,” she said. “In Pakistan, everything is very easily politicised so we want to ensure our efforts are not used as part of an electoral campaign by some political party.”<br />In response to a query regarding the level of interference and assistance required of the government, Hunter said: “Of course we need their assistance, but not at the cost of transparency and credibility.” She maintained that the government will only be brought on as stakeholders if they assure the EUEF of unbiased work. “We want to make the programme a success without making it controversial.”<br />According to the director, the foundation will award scholarships to up to 10,000 eligible students every year. These scholarships will be honoured in universities and colleges already affiliated with the EUEF across Europe. “Not to forget these scholarships will be valid till the end of the study programme, not just for the first term.”<br />The students will be given ample choice to select from both graduate and postgraduate degrees and higher national diplomas. The eligibility to apply to the programme is HSC or GCE A level, without a gap of more than a year during the candidate’s regular studies.<br />The applicants have to appear for a simple aptitude test that will be conducted by the National Testing Service. This is to test basic knowledge and English language skills. The first 10,000 high scorers will be awarded the scholarships. “We have kept the selection procedure simple and transparent to avoid any controversies. We want to accommodate as many students as possible.” Hunter explained.<br />According to the EUEF office bearers, the programme aims to enable Pakistani students to study abroad so that they can gain exposure of developed countries making them less vulnerable to volatile issues in their home country. “We are offering 10,000 scholarships every year for the next five years, which makes it 50,000 by the culmination of our project.” The programme will ultimately provide Pakistan with 50,000 highly skilled professionals by the time it concludes.<br /><br />http://tribune.com.pk/story/744354/study-abroad-10000-pakistani-students-to-be-given-scholarships-to-study-in-europe-in-2015/<br /><br />http://www.eueducationfoundation.eu/Riaz Haqhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522781692886598586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-34440143472728047182014-07-13T12:51:23.766-07:002014-07-13T12:51:23.766-07:00A group of 80 scholarship winners, bound for the U...A group of 80 scholarship winners, bound for the United States to pursue masters degrees, gathered for a pre-departure orientation on Friday evening. The event was hosted by the United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP) at a private hotel.<br />While congratulating the students, USEFP Executive Director Rita Akhtar said, “The USEFP is pleased to be able to help talented Pakistani students like you, achieve admission to US colleges and universities. US colleges and universities welcome Pakistani students as they add to the already-rich diversity in the classroom.”<br />The event was a networking platform designed to prepare the students for their educational experience. Since its beginning, the USEFP has helped thousands of Pakistani students achieve their dreams of US higher education through its scholarship programmes and free-of-charge advisory services.<br />Education USA Advising Manager Umair Khan offered some tips to the students. He explained that professor-student relations were less formal in the United States than in Pakistani universities.<br /><br />http://tribune.com.pk/story/734928/all-my-bags-are-packed-eighty-pakistani-students-all-set-for-their-voyage/Riaz Haqhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522781692886598586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-12131576214169671772014-05-18T16:43:10.279-07:002014-05-18T16:43:10.279-07:00Here are a couple of links showing number of B, F ...Here are a couple of links showing number of B, F and H visas issued by US worldwide: <br /><br />F visas (student visas) to Pakistani citizens continue to be very low but increased from 1,224 in 2012 to 1,535 in 2013. <br /><br />Similarly, H visas (temp work visas) remain very low but increased from 1238 in 2012 to 1,301 in 2013. <br /><br />The largest number of non-immigrant visas issued to Pakistanis are business visa...B1 and B2. Such visas increased from 35,768 in 2012 to 39,701 in 2013. <br /><br />Similar US visas issued to Indians are several orders of magnitude higher. <br /><br />http://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Statistics/AnnualReports/FY2012AnnualReport/FY12AnnualReport-TableXVII.pdf<br /><br />http://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Statistics/AnnualReports/FY2013AnnualReport/FY13AnnualReport-TableXVII.pdf<br /><br /> Riaz Haqhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522781692886598586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-79723201113886149352013-02-28T23:28:09.366-08:002013-02-28T23:28:09.366-08:00Here&#39;s an excerpt of a Dawn report on Pakistan...Here&#39;s an excerpt of a <a href="http://dawn.com/2011/02/28/towards-e-learning/" rel="nofollow">Dawn report</a> on Pakistan&#39;s university education:<br /><br /><i>According to the OECD’s 2009 Global Education Digest, 6.3 per cent of Pakistanis were university graduates as of 2007. The government plans to increase this rate to 10 per cent by 2015 and 15 per cent by 2020. But the key challenges are readiness for growth of the educational infrastructure and support from public and private sector.<br />----------<br />According to 2008 statistics, Pakistan produces about 445,000 university graduates and 10,000 computer science graduates per year. Pakistan Telecom Authority indicates that as of 2008 there are nearly 22 million internet users and over 80 million mobile phone subscribers. A combination of all these educational and technological factors gives Pakistan great leverage to progress towards targeted curriculum development and dissemination through e-learning..</i><br /><br />http://dawn.com/2011/02/28/towards-e-learning/ <br /><br />Here&#39;s an excerpt of OECD <a href="http://www.ifap.ru/library/book433.pdf" rel="nofollow">Global Education Digest 2009</a>:<br /><br /><i>In 2007, 9% of all mobile students originated from South and West Asia. Overall, 1.5% of the region’s tertiary students go abroad, which is lower than the<br />global average. India, for example, accounts for 5.5% of<br />the global total of mobile students. Yet, its outbound<br />mobility ratio is very low with only 1 out of 100 tertiary<br />students from the country studying abroad. Outbound mobility ratios are generally low across the<br />region with the notable exceptions of Nepal (5%) and Pakistan (3%). In 2007, the outbound mobility ratio increased by 0.5 percentage points. </i><br /><br />http://www.ifap.ru/library/book433.pdfRiaz Haqhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522781692886598586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-6702219142102176982013-01-09T21:19:08.043-08:002013-01-09T21:19:08.043-08:00Here&#39;s a News report on decline in Pakistani s...Here&#39;s a <a href="http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-153546-Student-applications-from-Pakistan-in-UK-drop" rel="nofollow">News report</a> on decline in Pakistani students going to the UK:<br /><br /><i>LONDON: There has been a significant drop in the number of genuine applications for studying in the UK universities from Pakistani students since the introduction of harsh immigration policies and vilification of immigrants under the new Conservative-LibDem coalition government.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Chief Executive of Universities UK, Nicola Dandridge, said that universities are reporting a significant drop in the number of students applying from overseas, particularly from India, Pakistan, China and Saudi Arabia but Pakistani students are not only discouraged by the UK’s immigration crackdown but they also face disproportionate treatment from the immigration officers who process their applications in Dubai and during face-to-face interviews conducted in Pakistan.<br /><br /> <br /><br />She said that crackdown on bogus foreign students have driven large numbers of genuine overseas applicants to competitor countries, damaging not only universities but also the UK economy.<br /><br /> <br /><br />She said the senior ministers calling for a crackdown on “bogus students” had given the impression that overseas students were no longer welcome and was driving them towards competitor countries such as the US, Canada and Australia.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Home Secretary Theresa May last month announced the introduction of face-to-face interviews for 100,000 applicants for student visas a year.<br /><br /> <br /><br />This means that most Pakistani applicants will have to face interviews in British High Commission in Islamabad. After 9/11 attacks on the United States by al-Qaeda, the number of students from Islamic countries, particularly Pakistanis, shot up as American officials started picking on Pakistani students and Britain was seen as a benign country but that is not the case anymore as Pakistani students, including visitor visa applicants, are also a suspect in the UK now and their applications are rejected on mass scale.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Overseas students are estimated to be worth GBP8bn a year to the British economy, a figure projected to rise to GBP16.8bn by 2025, according to a study by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. The Office for National Statistics’ figures released in November showed a 26% fall in the number of visas issued for the purposes of study in the year to September 2012 but Dandridge said “anecdotal evidence suggested the downward trend was set to accelerate.”<br /><br /> <br /><br />Pakistan was amongst the top ten nationalities issued entry clearance visas for the purpose of study in 2011. Of the total 261,405 student visas issued, 35,660 students visas were issued to Pakistani applicants. In 2010, the number of Pakistani students issued visas was 26,490.<br /><br /> <br /><br />But Pakistan is not included in the top ten nationalities for the year 2011 when a total of 61, 381 student visitors were issued with a visa for a maximum six-month duration. Nearly 70,000 people were issued student visitor visas in 2012 but Pakistan was not added in the top ten countries.<br /><br /> <br /><br />A home office spokesperson refused to share the reasons why Pakistanis were not amongst the top ten countries’ category but referred to a statement by Mark Harper, the immigration minister. It says: “The UK’s education system is one of the best in the world but to maintain this reputation it is vital that we tackle the abuse of the student route, while making sure Britain remains open for business.”</i><br /><br />http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-153546-Student-applications-from-Pakistan-in-UK-dropRiaz Haqhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522781692886598586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-35254214864935796302012-11-21T21:07:10.170-08:002012-11-21T21:07:10.170-08:00Here&#39;s a report on foreign students as a lucra...Here&#39;s a <a href="http://immigrationimpact.com/2012/11/20/foreign-students-add-billions-of-dollars-to-the-u-s-economy-each-year-and-thats-just-the-beginning/" rel="nofollow">report</a> on foreign students as a lucrative source:<br /><br /><i>Most people don’t think of foreign students as an economic resource, yet that is precisely what they are. Each year, students from other countries spend billions of dollars in the U.S. economy, pumping money not only into the colleges and universities they attend, but the surrounding businesses as well. In addition, many foreign students go on to become highly innovative scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs who add value to the U.S. economy in myriad ways that are often difficult to quantify. Given the economic value of the education they receive in U.S. universities, it is unfortunate that so many foreign students are forced by our nonsensical immigration policies to return to their home countries rather than putting their knowledge to use in this country.<br /><br />According to a new report from NAFSA: Association of International Educators, “international students and their dependents contributed approximately $21.81 billion to the U.S. economy during the 2011-2012 academic year.” More precisely, the monetary contributions of foreign students and their families consisted of $15.8 billion in students’ tuition and fees, $14 billion in students’ living expenses, and $397 million in living expenses for their dependents. Subtracted out of the total was U.S.-based financial support of $8.4 billion. Spending by students and their dependents totaled $3.2 billion in California, $2.6 billion in New York, $1.5 billion in Massachusetts, $1.4 billion in Texas, $1.1 billion in Pennsylvania, and $1 billion in Illinois. In the modest words of the NAFSA report: “By any measure, international education makes a significant contribution to the U.S. economy.”<br /><br />However, as the report notes, the “$21.81 billion” figure is a conservative estimate that does not include the “multiplier effect” which spending by foreign students has on the U.S. economy. That is, some of the money spent by foreign students becomes someone else’s income, some of which is also spent, becoming a portion of someone else’s income, etc. Just as importantly, the NAFSA estimate doesn’t capture the contributions which many foreign students go on to make as part of the high-skilled U.S. workforce and the U.S. business community. For instance, the National Science Board estimates that, in 2009, immigrants accounted for 41.6% of all science-and-engineering workers in the United States who had a doctorate and 33.4 percent those with a master’s degree. According to a report from the Brooking Institution, “among people with advanced degrees, immigrants are three times more likely to file patents than U.S.-born citizens.” And a report from the Kauffman Foundation found that “immigrants were more than twice as likely to start businesses each month than were the native-born in 2010.”<br /><br />In short, $21.81 billion in spending is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to measuring the economic contributions of foreign students. Given this fact, it is mind-boggling that so many foreign students are forced to return home after completing their studies in U.S. universities. In many cases, the United States is training workers for its own economic competitors. This does not make good business sense. A more enlightened immigration policy would encourage foreign students to stay in the United States and put their knowledge to use strengthening the U.S. economy. Perhaps lawmakers can put this on their “to do” list as they contemplate immigration reform over the coming year.</i><br /><br />http://immigrationimpact.com/2012/11/20/foreign-students-add-billions-of-dollars-to-the-u-s-economy-each-year-and-thats-just-the-beginning/Riaz Haqhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522781692886598586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-3591025886139158192012-08-08T10:49:36.872-07:002012-08-08T10:49:36.872-07:00Here&#39;s a BR report on HEC sponsored research s...Here&#39;s a <a href="http://www.brecorder.com/pakistan/general-news/72612.html" rel="nofollow">BR report</a> on HEC sponsored research scholars:<br /><br /><i>Higher Education Commission (HEC) has awarded 1647 scholarships to PhD scholars, studying in higher education institutions of Pakistan, for undertaking research at top ranking universities of 37 academically advanced countries.<br /><br />The scholarships has been awarded under International Research Support Initiative Programme (IRSIP).<br /><br />These foreign scholarships have been awarded in all the major disciplines including physical sciences, agriculture and veterinary sciences, biological and medical sciences, social sciences, management sciences and engineering.<br /><br />It was informed during the 22nd meeting of IRSIP award committee which was presided over by the Executive Director HEC, Prof. Dr. Sohail H. Naqvi.<br /><br />The meeting was apprised that through this innovative programme, HEC is offering six month research fellowship abroad to full time PhD students enrolled in Pakistan to enhance their research capabilities.<br /><br />It is of utmost importance that the doctoral studies carried out in Pakistan are of a standard that is at par with any international reputed institution. This is only possible if candidates are provided with adequate support in research projects.<br /><br />The indigenous PhD students sometimes face problems in research due to paucity of resources therefore the scheme is helping to provide doctoral students exposure internationally so they could carry out research projects of high standard.<br /><br />It was also informed that the scheme is also assisting ongoing Indigenous PhD programmes by providing a mechanism for PhD scholars to travel abroad and conduct research in academically advanced countries.<br /><br />This is providing exposure to the PhD scholars which will enhance the quality of research that they will be conducting in Pakistan.<br /><br />The programme has also been greatly helpful to develop academic linkages between Pakistani and leading foreign institutions. The fellowship package covers travel, bench fee and living expenditure.<br /><br />As an outcome of this programme, the number of international research publications by Pakistani scholars has been increased from 304 to 662 with 117% increase while the number of local publications has also been increased from 380 to 552 with 45% increase.<br /><br />The Executive Director HEC and participants of the meeting appreciated the outcome of the programme and termed it as flagship programme of the HEC.<br /><br />The establishment of the HEC in September 2002 has heralded a revolution in higher education in Pakistan; the HEC has accomplished more in nine years since its establishment than was achieved in the first 55 years of Pakistan&#39;s existence.<br /><br />In Pakistan, under the HEC, in addition to quality reforms, there has been a strong resurgence of research and innovation.<br /><br />In particular, there is a significant growth in the number of PhDs awarded out of Pakistani universities.<br /><br />As a result of phenomenal increase in research publications, the world share of Pakistan&#39;s research has gone up by 300 percent in the last five years.</i><br /><br />http://www.brecorder.com/pakistan/general-news/72612.htmlRiaz Haqhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522781692886598586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-6265895551237121842012-07-28T19:08:07.584-07:002012-07-28T19:08:07.584-07:00Here&#39;s a Wall Street Journal story of recent i...Here&#39;s a <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304830704577492450467667154.html" rel="nofollow">Wall Street Journal</a> story of recent influx of Saudi students in US:<br /><br /><i>In the years following the security crackdown on Arab travelers after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks—in which 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudi Arabian—tough restrictions kept most Arab students away from the U.S. In 2004, only about 1,000 Saudis were studying in the U.S., according to the U.S. State Department.<br /><br />This past school year, Saudi Arabia sent 66,000 students to U.S. universities, four times the number before the 2001 attacks and the fastest-growing source of foreign students in the U.S., ahead of China, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education. The Saudi influx is part of a broader increase in international students in the U.S. as American universities seek to raise tuition revenues. Some 723,277 foreign students enrolled during the 2010-2011 school year, up 32% from a decade ago. <br />----<br />Saudi Arabia&#39;s international scholarship program, launched when Saudi King Abdullah took the throne in 2005, is a key part of his efforts to equip future generations in handling the country&#39;s main challenges, including a fast-growing population and declining oil reserves.<br /><br />Since taking over, the Saudi king has emphasized scientific education and exposure to foreign countries as keys to combat religious extremism and transform Saudi Arabia into a modern state. This year, the scholarship program has about 130,000 young people studying around the world, at an estimated cost of at least $5 billion since the program began.<br /><br />The king&#39;s efforts to modernize, including the scholarship program, have led to constant tension between Western-influenced Saudis and a religiously educated core who hold heavy sway over society and reject modernization because it is associated with the West. <br />----------<br />As late as the 1950s, Saudi Arabia had a literacy rate below 5%. Today, the percentage of literate Saudis has reached 79%, according to the CIA World Factbook. One-third have university degrees, the World Bank says.<br /><br />Even so, religious conservatives have a lingering influence over curriculum. Critics say Saudi schooling is long on theology and short on science and math. The kingdom ranked 93rd out of 129 countries in UNESCO&#39;S 2008 quality of education index.<br /><br />In the past, only upper class Saudis were educated abroad. The king&#39;s scholarship program, by contrast, reaches out to promising young people in all levels of society, says Ahmed al Omran, a Saudi journalist who earned a master&#39;s from Columbia University.<br /><br />At the graduation ceremony in Washington in May, Saudi degree recipients ranged from second-generation U.S. graduates, to the first in their families to read and write.<br /><br />To be eligible for the program, students must have top grades and generally study in a field targeted by the government—such as business, engineering or medicine. Females are required to be accompanied by a close male relative. The government urges students to avoid political activity and media attention, students say. </i><br /><br />http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304830704577492450467667154.htmlRiaz Haqhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522781692886598586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-41449205849915870862012-07-20T17:05:39.926-07:002012-07-20T17:05:39.926-07:00Here&#39;s a News story on 200 Pakistani students ...Here&#39;s a <a href="http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-6-121671-200-undergraduates-to-leave-for-US" rel="nofollow">News story</a> on 200 Pakistani students going for a semester abroad under UGRAD program:<br /><br /><i>A pre-departure orientation workshop was organised by the United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP) for departing students here on Wednesday evening.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Students were briefed by the USEFP on the programme, visa regulations, American culture and US higher education and campus life. All students would return to Pakistan to complete their bachelor’s degrees. As many as 200 undergraduate students from all parts of Pakistan will be departing over the next year for a semester of study at colleges and universities in the US as part of the Global Undergraduate Programme (UGRAD) in Pakistan. As many as 100 will travel in August-September for the fall semester and an additional 100 will go to the US in January 2013.<br /><br /> <br /><br />An initiative of the US Department of State, the UGRAD programme will send Pakistani students to over 50 campuses in the US where they will take classes along with American students, do public presentations on the culture and people of Pakistan, and be an active part of the local community they will be staying in. Since the programme began in 2010, approximately 500 Pakistani students have participated. The fellowships cover all expenses for the students including travel, lodging, stipend, and tuition.<br /><br /> <br /><br />“To see so many impressive Pakistani young people — each of you an incredibly talented representative of this great nation’s bright future — is inspiring,” said Brent Beemer, cultural attache at the US Embassy, who addressed the group, “To think that my country has had some role in advancing your education and helping your nation’s prospects makes me feel very good, and even proud.”<br /><br /> <br /><br />“The really exciting thing about this group of undergraduates is that so many of these students come from remote or economically disadvantaged areas of Pakistan. The group includes students from every province of Pakistan and 52 per cent are women. The students come from a wide variety of disciplines, including humanities and social science subjects, engineering, basic sciences, law, art and design, economics, and business administration,” said Rita Akhtar, Executive Director of the USEFP...</i><br /><br />http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-6-121671-200-undergraduates-to-leave-for-USRiaz Haqhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522781692886598586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-44534977055630500262012-07-20T16:55:14.478-07:002012-07-20T16:55:14.478-07:00Here&#39;s a News story on 90 French scholarship f...Here&#39;s a <a href="http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-6-121665-France-to-sponsor-education-of-90-students" rel="nofollow">News story</a> on 90 French scholarship for Pakistani students:<br /><br /><i>Under need-based scholarship programme, the French government will support 90 promising students of six Pakistani universities in the fields of social science, business and architecture.<br /><br />In this regard, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between France government and the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC) at French Embassy on Thursday. Ambassador of France Philippe Thiébaud and Chairperson HEC Dr Javaid R. Laghari along with vice chancellors of the corresponding universities and institutions signed the MoU.<br /><br />France, through its Embassy in Islamabad, will offer scholarships to 90 promising students primarily from FATA, KPK and Baluchistan to pursue their education in top universities and institutions of Pakistan.<br /><br />The universities include Quaid-E-Azam University, Islamabad, COMSATS Institute of Technology, Islamabad, Government College University, Lahore, Institute of Management Sciences, IMS Peshawar, Institute of Business and Management, Karachi and Sardar Bahadur Khan Women University, Quetta.<br /><br />The scholarships awards are designed to cover the complete cost of education during the entire academic program of the 90 recipients (e.g.2-4 years for the MBA, BBA and Social Sciences) for a total cost of Rs23 millions.<br /><br />The selection process will ensure that at least 25 per cent of the awarded scholarships go to girls, especially those coming from areas where the access to higher education is difficult.<br /><br />Speaking on the occasion, French Ambassador Philippe Thiébaud, termed higher education key area in the bilateral relationship of both countries. He said that this scholarship grant scheme will further strengthen the close and long term bilateral friendship between the Pakistan and French governments.<br /><br />Chairperson HEC Dr Javaid R. Laghari said that the HEC is committed to provide equitable access to the higher education in Pakistan and a number of practical steps have been taken in this regard. He also extended thanks and appreciated the gesture of the government and people of France. </i><br /><br />http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-6-121665-France-to-sponsor-education-of-90-studentsRiaz Haqhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522781692886598586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-15358541690513302972012-07-08T20:14:14.974-07:002012-07-08T20:14:14.974-07:00Here&#39;s a Dawn story on Pak students in US:
Fo...Here&#39;s a <a href="http://dawn.com/2012/07/07/pakistani-students-abroad-make-nation-proud/" rel="nofollow">Dawn story</a> on Pak students in US:<br /><br /><i>Focusing on around five Pakistanis studying in the US, the documentary captured similar stories from students of diverse backgrounds, coming from areas like FATA, Hyderabad and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.<br /><br />Light in tone, it first captured the awkward questions Pakistani students had to face. “Are there roads in Pakistan,” “Are the coffee shops there similar to here,” and in a more serious vein, “Why don’t you cover your face?” and so on.<br /><br />One American lady revealed that she honestly thought the Pakistani student might bomb the classroom, but that impression changed over time.<br /><br />Similarly, touching on political overtones, a student, Hammad Ali Khan, said he was worried that once he landed at an airport in US, his green passport would get him harassed by the airport security. But some of the adjustment was culture related. An American teacher stated that students from Pakistan treat professors like god and hesitate to ask questions, but with time they learn that discussion with teachers is encouraged in the American context and open up with time.<br /><br />Finding halal food can become problematic for students in the US, hence converting them into vegetarians. A student suggested that with tomatoes, chick peas and other ingredients, if one is innovative, an improvised “channa chat” can be made. “Spoken like a true Pakistani,” commented one audience member.The students also acknowledged the strengths of both countries. Kiran Rajput from Hyderabad appreciated the respect and freedom given to the minorities to practise their religion in Pakistan and in US.<br /><br />And Irfan Ullah, a student struggling with polio, shared that there are many opportunities there for the disabled and he is empowered in an environment where he is not treated any less than others. The documentary displayed that students are ambassadors of their respective countries, families and cultures. Some residents of the US realised that not everything their media showed was true as they were confronted only to negativities in the case of Pakistan – drone attacks, suicide bombings – and all the cultural, educational and development aspects were not showered any light on.</i><br /><br />http://dawn.com/2012/07/07/pakistani-students-abroad-make-nation-proud/Riaz Haqhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522781692886598586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-89908679334713412552012-06-07T19:13:56.262-07:002012-06-07T19:13:56.262-07:00Here&#39;s PakistanTribune on US research grants t...Here&#39;s <a href="http://paktribune.com/news/US-provides-490000-for-research-on-economic-uplift-250438.html" rel="nofollow">PakistanTribune</a> on US research grants to Pakistanis study economic development: <br /><br /><i>Twenty-two Pakistani scholars have been awarded a total of $490,000 worth of grants by the United States government for research on various fields related to economic development and markets.<br /><br />The 22 winning proposals were selected from more than 180 research applications from all over the country and abroad. The selection was made by a 15-member committee consisting of internationally acclaimed scholars with extensive research experience in Pakistan and abroad, says a press release.<br /><br />&quot;This is yet another example of the US support for Pakistan&#39;s development priorities. We believe that this research will help lay foundations to the growth of Pakistan&#39;s economy, thus contributing to a more prosperous future for the people of this country,&quot; US embassy coordinator Richard Albright said.</i><br /><br />http://paktribune.com/news/US-provides-490000-for-research-on-economic-uplift-250438.htmlRiaz Haqhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522781692886598586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-19627814191690929742012-05-25T10:08:37.205-07:002012-05-25T10:08:37.205-07:00Here&#39;s an APP report on China-Pakistan &quot;e...Here&#39;s an <a href="http://app.com.pk/en_/index.php?option=com_content&amp;task=view&amp;id=195765&amp;Itemid=2" rel="nofollow">APP report</a> on China-Pakistan &quot;education diplomacy&quot;:<br /><br /><i>Lauding the successful holding of joint workshop by two prominent higher learning institutions of Pakistan and China, Ambassador Masood Khan has said the exchanges are ‘now moving into hi-tech areas’. “As a result of the decision taken by the leadership on both sides, in coming years collaboration in the field of basic sciences including Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics will increase many folds,” said Khan while addressing a reception hosted for a joint delegation of COMSATS and Tsinghua University here at Pakistan Embassy Thursday.<br /><br />Ambassador Khan said Pakistan-China relations are increasingly under pinned in educational context, adding that “educational diplomacy is what will bring the youths and professionals of the two countries closer.”<br />Regarding holding of a joint workshop, Ambassador Khan termed it as a good beginning, as Tshingua is prestigious university well known all around the world. He said the interface between the two sides is good.<br />Ambassador Khan appreciated the decision that in next step, the CCIT will invite a 50-member delegation of Tshinghua University to visit Pakistan.<br />Exchange of delegations in the realm of education between the countries, is best form of diplomacy, he added.<br />He said COMSATS provides enabling environment where students have ambition and passion for gaining latest knowledge.<br />Under an MoU signed by both the universities, exchanges of students and faculty members and research in cutting edge educational technologies will be carried out.<br />Earlier the 17-member COMSATS delegation gave presentations on research study carried out in different areas. The delegation also visited the Technology Park of the University.<br />Professor Qi Kun Xue, Dean School of Sciences, Professor Qing Wang, Chairman Department of Physics and Professor Arshad Bhatti, Dean Faculty of Sciences COMSATS also addressed the reception.<br />Established a decade ago, COMSATS has seven campuses in Pakistan in which over 22,000 students are getting modern education, said Professor Bhatti.<br />The delegation is scheduled to leave for Pakistan Friday evening. </i><br /><br />http://app.com.pk/en_/index.php?option=com_content&amp;task=view&amp;id=195765&amp;Itemid=2Riaz Haqhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522781692886598586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-41591770582623161762012-05-15T10:52:51.347-07:002012-05-15T10:52:51.347-07:00Pakistan has become top education market for Austr...Pakistan has become top education market for Australia in vocational training, reports <a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/pakistan-bucks-student-trend/story-e6frgcjx-1226356707116" rel="nofollow">The Australian</a>:<br /><br /><i>PAKISTAN has become the top growth market in the struggling international education industry, even though revenue from its neighbour India fell almost $1 billion in a single year.<br /><br />New Australian Bureau of Statistics figures reveal that Australia&#39;s fourth-biggest export industry is turning to new markets to counter a $2.2bn loss of revenue last year.<br /><br />Experts say some of the new students are attracted to Australia by the prospect of working or even claiming refugee status.<br /><br />Earnings from the top 12 markets all fell last year, topped by India, which slumped by 37 per cent, but Pakistan bucked the trend, with revenue rising 15 per cent to $253 million.<br /><br />The Philippines was the only other significant market to record an increase, with earnings rising 13 per cent to $205m. All other top 25 markets experienced declines.<br /><br />Revenue from Pakistan has risen steadily, more than tripling over the past five years. Earnings from the boom-bust Indian market have almost halved in two years, collapsing from a 2009 peak of $3.1bn.<br /><br />Shabbir Ahmad, a PhD economics student at the University of Queensland, said fellow Pakistanis were being lured to Australia by the availability of scholarships from both countries.<br /><br />Dr Shabbir, who is studying for his second doctorate, said he had come to Australia because the leading academics in his field -- efficiency and productivity analysis -- were based here.<br /><br />He said while his family had been denied public health and schooling in Australia, the overall experience had been positive. &quot;As far as the academic environment goes, I&#39;m very happy, and people are very welcoming,&quot; he said.<br /><br />However, international education researcher Alan Olsen said the growth in the Pakistani market was in vocational training, not top-end higher education.<br /><br />Mr Olsen said that while the number of Pakistani students had increased by about 1200 last year, private vocational students had claimed about 1000 of them.<br /><br />International Education Association of Australia executive director Phil Honeywood said some colleges had moved staff to Pakistan to help meet the demand. He said most Pakistani students came for genuine educational purposes, but significant numbers were here for work and residency opportunities in a peaceful country. &quot;It&#39;s dangerous in Pakistan,&quot; said Mr Honeywood, a former Victorian tertiary education minister.<br /><br />He said many Pakistanis studied for business diplomas at private colleges at a cost of about $9000. This gave them advance standing in university degrees, which in turn conferred the right to work for two years in Australia after graduating...</i><br /><br />http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/pakistan-bucks-student-trend/story-e6frgcjx-1226356707116Riaz Haqhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522781692886598586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-40792429881965371662012-04-17T21:23:12.828-07:002012-04-17T21:23:12.828-07:00Pakistan is world&#39;s fifth largest source of vi...Pakistan is world&#39;s fifth largest source of visitors to UK seeking visa, according to <a href="http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-3-103525-Pakistan-fifth-largest-country-to-apply-for-British-visas" rel="nofollow">The News</a>: <br /><br /><i>KARACHI: Pakistan is the fifth largest country to apply for British visas, a diplomat said on Tuesday.<br /><br />Pakistan is providing huge source of revenue in the shape of students in the UK, said Ms Mandy Ivemy, a senior British diplomat.<br /><br />Visa issuance ratio to Pakistanis is around 75 percent, which is high against other countries, said Ivemy, Regional Manager for Gulf, Iran and Pakistan, United Kingdom’s Border Agency based in British High Commission in Islamabad at a meeting with members of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI).<br /><br />“Every year Pakistanis make around one million journeys to the UK to meet their relatives, for business purposes or to take education,” she said.<br /><br />“Owing to huge number of applications, the agency was responsible to take a lot of checks, while processing applications,” she added.</i> <br /><br />http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-3-103525-Pakistan-fifth-largest-country-to-apply-for-British-visasRiaz Haqhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522781692886598586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-59447460695014543032012-04-14T16:15:09.695-07:002012-04-14T16:15:09.695-07:00US invites Pakistani students over for study, repo...US invites Pakistani students over for study, reports <a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2012%5C04%5C13%5Cstory_13-4-2012_pg7_15" rel="nofollow">Daily Times</a>:<br /><br /><i>LAHORE: US Public Affairs Officer Brinille Eliane Ellis has said that encouraging Pakistani students to study in the United States is one of their top priories, and a great way to foster better understanding between the two countries.<br /><br />He said this at the two-day US-funded South Asian US College education fair held at the Forman Christian College (FCC).<br /><br />The fair featured four representatives from the US higher education institutions.<br /><br />Students from across Punjab, especially Lahore, obtained information about student life and studying opportunities in the United States directly from the representatives.<br /><br />EducationUSA, a US State Department-funded global network of student advising centres, organised the event.<br /><br />Also on hand were representatives from the University of Buffalo in Buffalo, New York, the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa, the Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Indiana, and the Educational Credential Evaluators from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, who joined the tour to demonstrate the unique benefits of a US university education.<br /><br />This is the second South Asian annual education fair tour organised by EducationUSA. Last year, US university representatives travelled across the region from Sri Lanka to Bangladesh to Nepal and then to Pakistan. The programme was so successful that it was repeated again this year, while Afghanistan was also included in the list of countries.</i><br /><br />http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2012\04\13\story_13-4-2012_pg7_15Riaz Haqhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522781692886598586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-48237559342034073112012-04-03T08:12:19.694-07:002012-04-03T08:12:19.694-07:00Here&#39;s a Pak Observer story on UK-Pakistan tra...Here&#39;s a <a href="http://pakobserver.net/detailnews.asp?id=148206" rel="nofollow">Pak Observer</a> story on UK-Pakistan trade:<br /><br /><i>British Deputy High Commissioner, Alison Blake says relations between her country and Pakistan have always been cordial and continued to grow.<br /><br />In an exclusive interview with Pakistan Observer she said trade between the two countries will double in three years. More than 100 British companies are operating in Pakistan and more intend to join them.<br /><br />She said “the hall-mark of our foreign policy for Pakistan is ‘people to people’ approach. “This is the way to deepen relations between the two nations,” she observed.<br /><br />Blake said: “The UK and Pakistan are deeply connected. Yet not many people know about the connections in terms of people, trade, culture, education and development that form our unbreakable partnership”.<br /><br />She spoke of key facts regarding Pakistan-UK relations: The UK is home to the largest overseas Pakistani community, approximately 1.2 million today. There are 30,000 Pakistanis studying in the UK at any one time. British Pakistanis are heavily involved in all levels of British politics. From MPs in the House of Commons to Peers in the House of Lords including Baron Nazir Ahmed and Baroness Warsi.<br /><br />On bilateral trade she said: UK &amp; Pakistan have an ambitious target to boost bilateral trade in goods and services from the 2010 level of £2.0 billion to at least £2.5 billion by 2015. The UK is the top destination in Europe for exports from Pakistan. Pakistan’s exports to the UK rose by 17% from Jan to Oct 2011, with particularly strong growth in textiles. UK is the largest European investor in Pakistan. UK is Pakistan’s strongest advocate for market access to the EU. UK is the 3rd largest overseas investor in Pakistan with 13.46% market share (FY 2009-10). Over 100 British Companies operate in Pakistan with major interests in the Pharmaceutical, Financial Services, Energy and Retail sectors. On education, the British Deputy High Commissioner said: There are 30,000 Pakistanis studying in the UK at any one time. There are more people studying for O and A levels in Pakistan – some 170,000 of them - more than anywhere else outside of the UK. Pakistan is British Council’s largest overseas market for exams. UKaid will spend £650 million on education in Pakistan over the next 4 years. The UKaid funds will help to get more than four million children into school. UKaid will recruit and train an additional 90,000 teachers in Pakistan. UKaid will supply more than six million textbooks sets. UKaid will construct or rehabilitate more than 43,000 classrooms in Pakistan. Alison Blake said that the United Kingdom is home to the largest overseas Pakistani community. The population of British Pakistanis has grown from about 10,000 in 1951 to approximately 1.2 million today. She said: British Pakistanis are heavily involved in all levels of British politics. From MPs in the House of Commons including Sadiq Khan (MP for Tooting) Khalid Mahmood (MP for Birmingham Perry Barr) and Mohammad Sarwar (MP for Glasgow Central) to Peers in the House of Lords including Baron Nazir Ahmed and Baroness Warsi. Baroness Warsi is also a current Cabinet member”.</i><br /><br />http://pakobserver.net/detailnews.asp?id=148206Riaz Haqhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522781692886598586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-39573907581589472712012-03-11T17:16:06.346-07:002012-03-11T17:16:06.346-07:00Here&#39;s an APP story on Cambridge Graduate Unio...Here&#39;s an <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/348432/cambridge-university-pakistani-student-heads-graduate-union/" rel="nofollow">APP story</a> on Cambridge Graduate Union headed by a Pakistani student:<br /><br /><i>A Pakistani student Arsalan Ghani from Faisalabad has been elected as the President of the Cambridge University Graduate Union. He will lead the student union representing 12,000 MA, M Phil and PhD students studying at Cambridge University. This is the first time ever, in the over 800-year history of the Cambridge University that a Pakistani student has been elected as the President of the Graduate Union.</i><br /><br />http://tribune.com.pk/story/348432/cambridge-university-pakistani-student-heads-graduate-union/Riaz Haqhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522781692886598586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-32902445142665227412012-02-11T22:06:20.520-08:002012-02-11T22:06:20.520-08:00Here&#39;s a Dawn report on Education Expo 2012 he...Here&#39;s a <a href="http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/12/dawn-education-show-attracts-big-crowds.html" rel="nofollow">Dawn report</a> on Education Expo 2012 held in Karachi:<br /><br /><i>Thousands of students desiring to pursue their further education overseas flocked to the 9th two-day Annual Education Expo 2012, organised by the Dawn Media Group, which opened at the Expo Centre in Gulshan-i-Iqbal on Saturday.<br /><br />According to a representative of the organizers, the exhibition, in which over 160 local and international educational institutions are participating, would remain open on Sunday as well from 11am to 7pm.<br /><br />Entry to the exhibition is free.<br /><br />He said the exhibition, an annual event, had regularly been held for the past nine years. The current exhibition was earlier held in Islamabad and Lahore before it moved to the city. He said about 80 per cent of the 160 institutions at the expo were international.<br /><br />The countries whose educational institutions are participating in the event include Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland, Turkey, Hong Kong, Canada and the United States. Malaysia and Northern Cyprus are new entrants to the exhibition.<br /><br />He said the exhibition provided opportunities to students to meet the faculty, admission officers and career councilors directly, and get enrolled on the spot with many of the institutions.<br /><br />The event, as every year, has been scheduled at a time which coincides with the admission drive in educational institutions and is attracting students from various academies seeking information, coordination and enrolment details from the participating institutions.<br /><br />Besides the education institutions, various governments, including the US, the UK, Australia and Canada had also set up stalls to promote educational opportunities in their respective countries. Some consultants that provide guidance to students seeking overseas education are also participating in the exhibition.<br /><br />He said last year over 10,000 students had visited the expo in which around 120 educational institutions had participated.</i><br /><br />http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/12/dawn-education-show-attracts-big-crowds.htmlRiaz Haqhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522781692886598586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-74143665583260442942012-02-10T11:09:34.336-08:002012-02-10T11:09:34.336-08:00Here&#39;s an Express Tribune report on 2012-2013 ...Here&#39;s an <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/334528/fulbright-scholarships-us-launches-worlds-largest-programme-in-pakistan/" rel="nofollow">Express Tribune</a> report on 2012-2013 Fulbright scholar program in Pakistan:<br /><br /><i>Amid strained ties and mutual mistrust, the United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan has announced the world’s largest Fulbright programme in Pakistan for the 2013.<br /><br />The US government’s flagship scholarship programme awards deserving Pakistani students full scholarships that cover tuition, textbooks, airfare, a stipend, and health insurance to complete their Master’s or PhD degrees in a field of their choice in universities across the US. Currently, approximately 369 students are studying in the US on Fulbright awards and another 200 will be departing in the fall of 2012.<br /><br />According to Ambassador Richard Hoagland, deputy chief of mission, Pakistan’s Fulbright programme is also one of the oldest in the world. “Our agreement initiating the programme was signed on September 23, 1950 – and the first Pakistanis and Americans travelled each way in the same year. It was one of the very first agreements of its kind and has since been extended to 155 countries around the world.”<br /><br />Since then, nearly 4,000 Pakistanis and over 800 Americans have participated in USEFP-administered exchange programmes.<br /><br />The deadline to apply for the 2013 programme is May 16, 2012, and the application form can be downloaded from the USEFP’s website www.usefpakistan.org.</i><br /><br />http://tribune.com.pk/story/334528/fulbright-scholarships-us-launches-worlds-largest-programme-in-pakistan/Riaz Haqhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522781692886598586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-73564299960646139682012-01-07T10:43:24.477-08:002012-01-07T10:43:24.477-08:00Here&#39;s an excerpt from Malaysia&#39;s Bernama ...Here&#39;s an excerpt from Malaysia&#39;s <a href="http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v6/newsindex.php?id=638491" rel="nofollow">Bernama news agency report</a>:<br /><br /><i>..for Pakistan, the education sector is also a priority. Apart from increase in trade during the year, the number of Pakistani students studying in Malaysia increased to over 3,000 students.<br /><br />&quot;This was due to more linkages established between the universities of both countries,&quot; Pakistani High Commissioner to Malaysia Masood Khalid told Bernama.</i><br /><br />http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v6/newsindex.php?id=638491Riaz Haqhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522781692886598586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-19378291903248738462012-01-01T22:22:48.509-08:002012-01-01T22:22:48.509-08:00Here&#39;s an Express Tribune story on a new busin...Here&#39;s an <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/315063/pakistan-needs-more-top-level-business-schools/" rel="nofollow">Express Tribune</a> story on a new business school in Karachi:<br /><br /><i>Sitting in the corporate office of the Karachi School for Business and Leadership (KSBL), an upcoming graduate management school being established in the financial capital of Pakistan in collaboration with Judge Business School of the University of Cambridge, Dean Robert Wheeler III spoke at length as to why Karachi needed yet another business school.<br /><br />“No doubt, IBA and LUMS are outstanding business schools. But the academia isn’t like a corporation, it’s not about winning or losing,” Wheeler told The Express Tribune in an interview. “Pakistan needs more top-level business schools, it needs more leaders.”<br /><br />Having served at the Pennsylvania State University, University of Texas at Austin and Georgetown University in key positions like assistant dean and director of MBA programmes, Wheeler has been associated with KSBL for the past two years. Spread over three acres, a dedicated campus of KSBL is currently under construction on main Stadium Road in Karachi. The construction phase will be over in July 2012 and the first intake of students will be in September. Initially, KSBL will offer a full-time, 21-month MBA programme in general management only.<br /><br />“Our emphasis is on ethical leadership. It’s not about being right or wrong. It’s about making difficult choices,” he said, adding that KSBL would make an extra effort to infuse students with social responsibility. “We’ll work with students to help them stay here in Pakistan after they graduate, to make them realise that they owe something to this society.”<br /><br />The MBA curriculum has been designed in collaboration with Judge Business School. Besides conventional teaching methods involving lectures and case studies, KSBL will use videoconferencing to let its students attend live lectures from American and British universities.<br /><br />“We’re wiring the entire building for videoconferencing so that CEOs from London, Singapore and the US could show up on videoconferencing,” he said, adding that the campus would benefit from natural light optimisation, as more than 70% of the rooms would have natural lighting.<br /><br />Wheeler said the core faculty of KSBL would be of Pakistani origin with PhD degrees from foreign universities. “We’ll cut back on the administrative work that faculty is often required to do in Pakistan and encourage them to do applied research that could be used in the industry, government and business.” In many classes, especially those on entrepreneurship, Wheeler said more than one person would co-teach students via videoconferencing to provide them with a combination of academic and professional perspectives.<br /><br />‘Intrapreneurship’<br /><br />Referring to corporate entrepreneurship, or intrapreneurship meaning working like an entrepreneur within an organisation, Wheeler said the traditional role of an entrepreneur was changing, as big corporations were now looking for business graduates with entrepreneurial mindset.<br /><br />As for the admission process at KSBL, he said prospective students would be judged on their GMAT scores, GPAs, essays and interview performance. “We’ll have a holistic approach. We want to produce team players, people who can get along with others. You need to fulfil certain requirements, but high scores only shouldn’t guarantee your admission.”<br /><br />Rejecting the idea that working with the bureaucracy is particularly difficult in Pakistan, Wheeler said the United States was equally bureaucratic. “We’re right on track. Things are going well. The construction phase will be over in July.”</i><br /><br />http://tribune.com.pk/story/315063/pakistan-needs-more-top-level-business-schools/Riaz Haqhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522781692886598586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5848640164815342479.post-68744168869471835162011-12-27T21:49:54.778-08:002011-12-27T21:49:54.778-08:00Here&#39;s an Express Tribune story on the state o...Here&#39;s an <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/312462/laghari-calls-for-heavy-investment-in-higher-education-disapproves-of-commercialisation/" rel="nofollow">Express Tribune story</a> on the state of higher education in Pakistan:<br /><br /><i>....“To create a knowledge capital, particularly in an emerging economy, a country has to invest heavily in the education sector,” said Dr Laghari, citing examples of South Korea, Singapore and more recently of Thailand, Malaysia, Turkey and Indonesia, who invested in education and made significant progress. Sadly, he said, Pakistan invests only 0.7% of its Gross Domestic Product in education, “which is too meagre to achieve its future goals”.<br /><br />Dr Laghari said we need at least 15,000 PhDs in the next decade, which is only possible if more than 1,000 PhDs are produced every year. However, he said within the available budget we are hardly producing 600 PhDs annually.<br />---------<br />Dr Laghari said that at least 20 to 30% of the population aged 17 to 23 should have accessibility to the higher education, but in Pakistan only 7.8% have this facility. In the Muslim world, 27% population in the given age group in Indonesia has access to higher education, in Malaysia it’s 30% and in Turkey it is 37%, he added. He cited that Brazil has invested $26 billion on its higher education and is expected to produce 75,000 PhDs in the next ten years.<br />--------<br />But despite outlining the issues marring education in Pakistan, Dr Laghari dispelled the impression that the higher education sector is stagnant.<br /><br />He said that in spite of the financial crunch, HEC has succeeded in improving the quality of education and research. He said that rate of enrolment in higher education is growing by 15 to 20% annually, and published research is increasing 20 to 25% annually.<br /><br />He said that 10 offices of research innovation have already been set up and another 12 are in the pipeline. Moveover, three centres of advanced studies focusing on water, agriculture and energy are currently being established at different universities, which are priority areas for developing countries like Pakistan, he added.<br /><br />HEC is focusing on promoting a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in universities and has defined their roles in building economies, communities and leadership, said Dr Laghari. As a result, he said research output has increased significantly in the last few years and so has as the number of PhD graduates. He said although the commission could not send a single person abroad for PhD last year, this year it managed to send abroad 600 to 700 scholars.<br /><br />“The biggest challenge for higher education is improving both the quality of education and research, which is only possible if the sector gets appropriate funding,” he maintained. The HEC chief said the commission has gotten some financial respite from the World Bank, which recently loaned it $300 million, in addition to funds from USAID and the British Council.<br /><br />He said funds allocated to the HEC last year were insufficient, and warned of massive protests by employees across the country if they are not paid their raised salaries.</i><br /><br />http://tribune.com.pk/story/312462/laghari-calls-for-heavy-investment-in-higher-education-disapproves-of-commercialisation/Riaz Haqhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522781692886598586noreply@blogger.com